Inception - Ascension Paradox, Book 1
Copyright© 2023 by L.R. Thornton
Chapter 34
Ray paced up and down the hall as he waited outside the professor’s laboratory, the hairs on his back fully erect. Who had kidnapped Jillian Foster?
A grim expression darkened his face and he peered back into the room. The eggheads were all gathered around that mechanical monstrosity, Dino, looking at footage from the security system, trying to see if they could capture a license plate number. Ray wanted to go back to the scene of the crime and search for clues but he needed more equipment than what his naked eye would provide.
“Ray? What are you doing out here?” His cousin, Amy Benson, asked, her large dark brown eyes wide in a face gone pallid in fear.
“Nothing,” he grumbled. “Absolutely nothing. If I were still an officer, I could have a crew down here now. We would be going over the scene where she was abducted. Trying to figure out what to do next.”
“This is big, Ray.” Amy folded her arms around her waist. “I never thought—”
“But maybe you should have, Amy.” Ray retorted, slashing the air with his hand. “Maybe you should have.”
“Why are you shouting at me?”
He thrust both of his hands into his hair, tugging hard at the strands. “I don’t know. I guess I just want to blame somebody. Ever since the attack—”
“Attack?”
Ray glanced up and saw the haggard appearance of Jillian’s twin brother, Jackson. His usually spiked silver hair had wilted into damp curls along his forehead. Had it only been ten minutes since Jillian had been taken? Jackson looked as if he’d aged ten years in that small frame of time.
“What attack, Ray?”
“It’s nothing you have to worry about, Jackson.”
Amy sighed. “You have to tell him.”
“Tell me what?” Jackson came forward, his movements were jerky. His eyes twitched. “What!”
“Do you recognize me?” Ray asked. “What I mean is before we first met. My face was plastered everywhere.”
“Recognize you? What are you talking about? What does that have to do—?
Wait, Maybe. I did tell Jillian one time that you looked like someone we should know.”
“How can people who could create the world’s first self-learning android be so disconnected with the world? My full name is Ramone Sanchez.”